Understanding Diabetes: Prevention Tips and Expert Advice on Managing Type 1, 2, and Gestational Diabetes

Mary Niester is the Program Coordinator for the Diabetes Prevention Program at Trinity Health Livonia. With November being Diabetes Awareness Month, Niester discusses the most common types of diabetes, ways to prevent the most common types of diabetes, how medications like Ozempic and Wegovy can be helpful, and much more.

Q: What exactly is diabetes, and how is it commonly diagnosed?

Niester: Diabetes is a condition that affects how the body uses glucose (blood sugar). If not treated, these higher glucose levels can cause serious complications such as heart attacks, kidney failure or nerve damage. The three most common are Type 1, Type 2, and Gestational Diabetes.
•    Type 1 is an autoimmune disorder where the immune system attacks insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. This leads to a shortage of insulin produced, and high blood glucose levels.
•    Type 2 is much more common and develops when your body doesn’t make or use insulin well. This leads to abnormal blood glucose levels in the body.
•    Gestational Diabetes can occur in women during their pregnancy when their body cannot produce the proper amount of insulin, leading to higher-than-normal blood glucose. This is usually resolved after childbirth. Being diagnosed with Gestational diabetes can lead to a higher likelihood of developing Type 2 diabetes later in life.

Q: How can someone best prevent themselves from developing Type 2 diabetes?

Niester: Adopting a healthy lifestyle, including a well-balanced diet consisting of fruits, vegetables and lean proteins, and exercising for at least 30 minutes per day five days per week — according to the CDC — can help prevent Type 2 diabetes. Certain risk factors such as genetics can’t be changed, so it’s even more important to adopt healthy changes to best prevent diabetes.

Q: Talk about the Diabetes Prevention Program at Trintiy Health Livonia. What exactly is it, and what type of support or services do you offer?

Niester: We have been offering the Diabetes Prevention Program for the past six years. This program is a no cost, year-long support program available to the community. We offer classes to educate participants and support them and their loved ones who are at risk for Type 2 diabetes. We work with participants to set goals around healthy eating, increasing their physical activity level, and problem-solving lifestyle factors that may be contributing to their condition. This is a great opportunity to learn about things that impact blood glucose levels, including what foods are most beneficial and ones that significantly affect glucose levels.

Q: Are there certain requirements needed to join the program?

Niester: Yes, there are some eligibility requirements. The program is available for adults 18 years and older who have a BMI of 25 or above, have elevated blood glucose levels, or score a certain number on the CDC’s diabetes risk test. This test is based on family history, their height/weight, age, and other indicators.

Q: How helpful can recently released medications be for treating diabetes?

Niester: We have several patients with prediabetes that have a prescription for weight loss medications, such as Wegovy. The most important thing people learn from taking these medications is they still have to change their lifestyle, eat a balanced diet, and maintain healthy activity levels to lose weight and sustain that weight loss. These types of medications are designed to keep you fuller for longer, which helps patients listen to their bodies and understand how it feels to be hungry and satisfied after a meal.
There are also medications like Ozempic that are made specifically for people with Type 2 diabetes. Ozempic has the same active ingredient as Wegovy, which has shown to decrease appetite and lower blood glucose, so this is also an effective medication for patients to take.

Q: Is there anything else you’d like diabetes patients to know?

Niester: If diabetes is impacting your life or the life of someone close to you, we are here to help. Trinity Health Livonia offers a wealth of resources for community members that are in need of support. 

To explore diabetes prevention and management programs near you, click here. 
 

 

Mary Niester is the Program Coordinator for the Diabetes Prevention Program at Trinity Health Livonia.